Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg reportedly wants to leave Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur but the Denmark international could potentially miss out on a move to Juventus.
When the former Southampton skipper turned down a deadline-day move to Fulham, the thought of putting pen to paper with one of Europe’s genuine A-listers may have been the deciding factor behind his decision to snub Marco Silva’s Cottagers.
Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, then, could be left in a rather awkward position if Juventus opt against turning their interest into anything more concrete during the winter window.
According to Tuttosport, Hojbjerg is not Juventus’ first-choice. With Paul Pogba’s future uncertain amid a potential four-year ban for breaching doping rules, the Serie A giants are instead prioritising Khephren Thuram (Sky Sports)
Juventus eye Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Younger, quicker, more athletic, a better ball-carrier, and creative in comparison to Hojbjerg’s combative; It’s certainly difficult to think of a more fitting Pogba replacement than Nice’s £35 million-rated playmaker.
Failing that, Juve could also go for Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra – the subject of an August bid from Wolves – or the much-admired Royal Antwerp wonderkid Arthur Vermeeren.
So where does all this leave Hojbjerg? Well, stuck on the Tottenham bench, perhaps.
Every one of his Premier League appearances under Ange Postecoglou have come from the sidelines, after all. Hojbjerg’s representatives have reportedly been in Turin for talks with Juventus already.
But with Tottenham demanding £26 million for a player who celebrated his 28th birthday in August, what is £7 million more for a more technical, more attack-minded, more Pogba-like player six years his junior?
Hojbjerg and Dier likely to leave
The similarly long-serving, and similarly out-of-favour, Eric Dier is also expected to leave Spurs in 2024 when his contract expires. And Simon Jordan, the former Crystal Palace chairman, believes Ange Postecoglou should be given the backing to make the big decisions regarding Tottenham’s personnel.
“It’s absolutely right. If you are going to lead something, you go hard or you go home,” Jordan tells talkSPORT (29 August, 11am).
“If he doesn’t believe those profile of players fit the play that he wants, what’s the point of mucking about? He might as well get to the money shot, which is ‘you’re not going to play’.
“Get on with it, and be definitely right or definitely wrong. Hopefully definitely right. If Dier and Hojbjerg are not good enough in his view, move them out he should!”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
